Jesus, Do You Know My Name?

 “…I am suffering torment in these flames.” Luke 16:24

In another version of this passage about Lazarus and the unnamed rich man, we read that the rich man who died was in agony in the fire. Jesus is telling us in this story that there definitely is a hell. It is reserved for people like the rich man who dressed in luxury, and ate sumptuously, while poor people outside his gated home were covered with sores and did not have enough food to eat. 

Many people refuse to believe in hell. In recent weeks, we have been inundated with exposés of suitcases stuffed with dirty money, ghost projects, unimaginable amounts of cash, contractors and politicians and government employees caught stealing the money supposed to be used for flood control infrastructure. I’m thinking those politicians and contractors and government employees don’t believe in hell. 

Do we? The rich man in Jesus’ story pleads with Father Abraham to send Lazarus to quench his thirst. But Abraham says there is a chasm, a wide divide, that prevents anyone from crossing from one side to the other. Another interesting thing about Jesus’ story is that the poor man has a name, and we know his name because it is said four times in the course of the narration. In the Italian translation, Lazarus’ name is mentioned five times! But the rich man is unnamed. Poor man, relegated to the dust bin of history. Unnamed, unimportant, unloved, forgotten. So it is in Jesus’ eternal Kingdom. 

The Italian Roman Missal for this Sunday of the 26th Week in Ordinary Time includes this phrase, “O God, You call Your poor by name, while the rich man has no name.” While the rich men of this world may have made a name for themselves by acquiring riches. power and fame, it is far more important that we make sure that Jesus knows our name, that it is written in the Book of Life mentioned in Revelation 3:5 and Philippians 4:3. 

Woe to “anyone not found written in the Book of Life” for he who has no name and will be “cast into the lake of fire". (Revelation 20:15) The only way to make sure our names are written in the Book of Life is to read the Bible so we know God’s instructions on how to love Him, follow and obey Him. “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.” (Acts 16:31)